Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-16

Persons and Things Commented ON
by Cummimxs and Hail.

by CumminEs and Hall.
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT TIE "1n ROADS
THE BUSINESS THEY DO AND HOW THEY ARE NAM
AaKD-rHE RAILROAD LAWYER AND THE PART H
PLAYS IN FINANCIAL SCHEMES.
Special Correspondence OF TIE EVENING STAR.
NEW YORK, July 16
Nothing about New York more interests the
stranger on his first visit to the metropolis than
the wonderful system of elevated railroads. and
nothing more completely c0nfuseS him. 1t Is DIM
cult for him to understand which side OF the road
he must ascend in order to get the train he wants
prominent Western real estate man, on his first
visit to New York recently assembled the stairs OF
the western track Of the Sixth avenue line at Park
Place to take a train for an uptown hotel "This
Is the down-train track; you'll have to 20 down
stairs and come up on the other side" said the
gateman. The stranger went down one flight OF
stairs, crossed the street and assembled another
hight. He found himself at the same station that
he had left He tried to cross the track but was
restrained from doing so. He was so confused that
guard finally conducted him below, directed
him to the proper stairs, and instructed
him that he must always turn his face In the
dlrect10n he desired to go and then take the right
t nand track He gained the right station but
trle0 10 gain the platform through the exit gate.
ne was turned back, took his place In long line
OF passengers who were buying their tickets with
would have seen that each had nickel ready.
He thrust dollar bill In at the window. 1t took
MN minute TO gather up bis handful OF change
Wnle ne was doing this score OF passengers were
trying to struggle past him, but they were unable
to do SO: The stranger finally gained the platform
shout cricket, sfr!u but he paid no heed, for he
had bought his ticket. Then the train rushed up,
and the stranger
10 get aboard, but the gateman caught his arm
and directed him to drop his ticket in the recepta-
Gle with sort Of pump lever that stands at the
entrance to the platform. When the stranger had
nnally deposited his ticket he made mad rush
Ior the train, but the guard slammed the gate OF
tne platform and would not to the mans intense
disgust, admit him. He looked doleful, but his
GRIEF gave way to surprise when two minutes later
guard to let him OF at 33d Street. The guards on
elevated trains have no time to look after each
passenger. II they open and close the platform
gates anu announce each station as train stops
and give the name OF the next station 1t starts
they have done their duty. Some OF them have
unintelllgiole speech that would provoke
the envy OF the average brakeman on Western
railroad. When the train started from the Esd
street station the guard shouted 33d street next"
the words "33d street" were in loud tone. The
next" was almost unintelligible The stranger,
ne Wss pesg T away b
the platform gate restrained him. Finally he
reached 33d street, descended to the ground and
with the wonderful elevated railway system Of
New York. He had been accustomed to travelling
on hhes whose passengers got aboard and
disem6arked with exasperating elaboration. 1t
pleased him to observe with what rapidity, as
| compared with western lines OF travel the pas
Senger traff1c OF the great elevated system is
UNUSUAL OCCURRENCES"
There are some features about the management
OF roads unlike the conduct of any other lines
in America Every day an unusual occurrence"
report is made out and laid before the general
| manager. 1t reports, for example, that an intoxi-
Gated man tried to get aboard at one station ana
had TO be put down stairs; that man with an un-
muzzled dog in his arms got aboard at 14th street.
and that another man with another unmuzzled
dog followed in his wake and tried to go aboard
| but was turned back by the eccentric gateman,
although the ttcket-seler insisted that he should
be admitted. There was brief war OF words be-
tween the ucket,seller and the gateman, but the
latter triumphed and the man had to 60 and buy
muzzle for his dog before the man at the gate
would let him pass. One OF the most unusual &C.
| currences OF recent date was the case OF an old
and somewhat exhilirated countryman who
took the 5sth street train for Harlem. This
Is train on the Sixth avenue line
which WIN hnds leaves w the road leading to Harlem
The old man went to the terminus of the 58th-
street line, found out his mistake, went down
was carried BY where be Ought to have changed
cars and finally became so confused that he be-
| rated the guard who put him of at the first sta
ton. He crossed over the line once more took an
uptown train, and amused himself by calling out
at every station, in cynical, reyengeful Tone
"Change for Harlem!" The cry made one nervous
| woman, not acquainted with the route rush out
and leave the train which was bound for Harlem
At 125th street more strangers were confused by
the Old mans call OF ''Change for Harlem!" and
again he was compelled to leave the train, with
the result that he did not reach Harlem until the
next day, but when he got there he was q wiser
and more sober man.
THE EXTENT OF TIE SYSTEM
There are 81 miles OF double track or GA miles in
all in the elevated railway system OF New York
| Every day track-hands walk over it and another
set walk under It, craning their necks as they look
up for any defect in the nne At 10th street the
Stn avenue track IS at points more than 60 feet
high, and the inspectors above have dizzy walk
while those on the surface crook their necks out OF
shape In gazing up at the trestle. The ride over
persons very timid, but the track is so securely
guarded with heavy guard timber that It would
be almost impossible for train to leave the rails
In one or two instances axles have broken, but no
train has ever left the track. II complete deratl.
ment should occur at 10th street, and a train
should fall upon the rocks below few passen-
gers would survive the accident. The 90 miles
OF elevated roads on Manhattan Island is divided
into four lines. AS all roads were said to
South Ferry, at the southern end OF the fslanu
There are confusing number OF cross lines and
branches which seem to head almost anywhere,
that knows no wearing out stand at every Junction
and tell people where to go. The system carries
daily half million passengers. To do this $500
trains are run, 800 employees kept busy, $40 cars
and POO locomotives used, 5000 stops made each
day by the trains, and $50 different stations
coaches and looks as long and large as passenger
train on surface railroad, Will seat on the aver
age $50 persons, but during the busy hours in the
morning and evening they are crowded to sufYoca-
ton, and train with 500 passengers aboard is no
rarity. Your New York business man is not a
gallant when ladies come aboard a crowded car
and 1t rarely occurs that q man arises and gives
his seat to woman.
The trains run at an average speed of twelve
miles an hOur. TWO express trains that stop at
few stations run down from Harlem to South Ferry
in the morning over the 9th avenue line: the road
on the westerly side OF the city and two similar
trains run up at night.
THE PASSENGERS
The most extensively patronized line is the Sd
avenue, on the east sidA where trains run during
the busy hours at only one minute intervals 1t
is patronized by democratic crowd, largely CON-
posed OF working people, while the 9th avenue
line carries as majority OF its passengers we'll
dressed business men and clerks and great num-
Ders or shop girls At midnight the trafflc begins
10 subSlde, and the 9th and Sd avenue lines which
are the only ones running all night have trains
every fifteen or twenty minutes Never for an
hour In the year Is the rattle OF trains on these
lines slenced. At midnight people returning from
parties make the cars attractive Two hours
later men, some OF them the worse for wear going
home from clubs and late ubatiOnS. render the
coaches anything but alluring. At 4 O'Clock the
ruddy-faced marketmen and buXOm marketWOmen
going to Washington or Fulton market and news
dealers going Tor their papers are about the only
passengers aboard. Thus every hour in the day
the character OF passengers carried varies.
CIVIL SERVICE METHODS
The business OF this immense system IS con.
troled from one Office, and rather small Office it